Chemical release barriers

This bowtie uses loss of containment as the central control point for a chemical storage scenario. The threat side separates equipment degradation from transfer errors and makes the barriers for each visible. The consequence side distinguishes possible harm to people from environmental release, with response and containment measures on each path. It is a useful starting point for a process-safety discussion because it asks what must work before and after a release. Add site-specific equipment, operating limits, barrier owners and assurance activities before using it in a formal risk assessment. The example is qualitative and does not provide a probability calculation or replace hazardous-area, process-design or emergency-planning requirements.